It is a rare individual who can claim that the body of his automobile has not been damaged in a parking lot by a carelessly opened door. With space often at a premium, designers and owners of parking lots and structures try to maximize the spare and monetary return by putting in as many parking spaces as can fit into that space. Consequently, the parking spaces are often narrow. As a result, adjacent automobiles are usually so close that the side of one or both may become damaged or "dinged" when the door of one is carelessly opened. Repair of the damage can become costly and inconvenient and if done poorly, can accelerate depreciation of the automobile's value. However, this type of damage may be minimized by the use of automobile side bumpers or protection devices.
In recognition of this problem, there have been several prior aftermarket side bumpers or protection devices which attempt to shield the sides of an automobile from opening doors of adjacent vehicles. In addition, some automobiles have been equipped by the manufacturer with side body moldings. These moldings affixed to the sides of some automobiles have not been entirely successful as such moldings are often not placed correctly to prevent damage as side doors of various vehicles (trucks, vans and automobiles) vary greatly in their size, shape and contour. Protection can often depend on the height of the adjacent vehicle door which is not going to be the same with every vehicle or automobile. Furthermore, the side moldings can detract from the appearance of those automobiles so equipped. Moreover, as the public is all too aware, the market for stolen automobile parts and accessories is thriving. If the part or accessory is not affixed, and sometimes even if it is, it is often the target of thieves. Although some of the prior bumpers or protection devices included anti-theft features (e.gs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,303 to Soria and U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,380 to Cruz), none adequately protect the sides of an automobile body against externally-applied impact forces while still preventing theft of the device.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel vehicle (i.e. automobile) body protection device and method which can shield the automobile from externally-applied impact forces, is of simplified construction, easy to use, and is protected against unauthorized removal from the automobile. Such a device is also needed which can be placed on the automobile without particular regard for a fixed position where a door might impact thereby taking into account the variety of vehicle door shapes, sizes and contours. Further, a device is needed which can be adapted to be used with a variety of different vehicles or automobiles. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.